Systems and methods for providing a suggested steering action indicator to user interface of vehicle

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to provide a steering indicator to a driver of a vehicle. It is determined whether a first obstacle is in a forward path of the vehicle and whether a second obstacle is present at a side of the vehicle. In response to (a) determining the first obstacle is in the forward path and (b) determining whether the second obstacle is present at the one or more sides of the vehicle, a suggested steering action indicator indicating one or more movements for the vehicle to avoid the first obstacle is provided to a user interface of the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to determine sensor data associated with an environment surrounding a vehicle; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 determine, based on the sensor data, that a first obstacle is present in front of the vehicle; 
 provide a first level warning associated with the first obstacle at a first time based on the sensor data; 
 determine, based on the sensor data, whether a second obstacle is present at a side of the vehicle; and 
 provide a second level warning associated with the first obstacle at a second time later than the first time based on the sensor data, wherein the second level warning comprises one or more suggested steering action indicators to avoid the first obstacle or the second obstacle. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the environment surrounding the vehicle is defined by a predetermined distance from the one or more sensors; 
 the side of the vehicle is a first side, and the second obstacle is determined to be present at the first side of the vehicle; 
 the one or more suggested steering action indicators indicate one or more movements to a second side of the vehicle to avoid the first obstacle and the second obstacle; and 
 the wherein the second level warning is provided as an audio indicator, a tactile indicator, or a visual indicator, or any combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 determine, based on the sensor data, that a driver of the vehicle is not likely to perform an action corresponding to the one or more suggested steering action indicators in time to avoid the first obstacle; and 
 in response to determining that the driver of the vehicle is not likely to perform the action in time to avoid the first obstacle, cause the vehicle to automatically perform the action. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more sensors comprise a first sensor and a second sensor; 
 the sensor data used to determine that the first obstacle is present in front of the vehicle is received from the first sensor; 
 the sensor data used to determine whether the second obstacle is present at the side of the vehicle is received from the second sensor. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to provide the one or more suggested steering action indicators by:
 generating for output tactile feedback at a portion of the vehicle to indicate a suggested direction to turn the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the side of the vehicle is a left side of the vehicle, and the control circuitry is further configured to:
 determine that the second obstacle is not present at the left side of the vehicle; 
 determine that the second obstacle is not present at a right side of the vehicle; and 
 provide the one or more suggested steering action indicators by:
 generating for display a first suggested direction to turn the vehicle to the left and a second suggested direction to turn the vehicle to the right. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the side of the vehicle is a first side of the vehicle, and the control circuitry is further configured to:
 determine that the second obstacle is not present at the first side of the vehicle; and 
 determine that the second obstacle is present at a second side of the vehicle; and 
 provide the one or more suggested steering action indicators by:
 generating for display a suggested direction to turn the vehicle, wherein the suggested direction corresponds to the first side of the vehicle. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 generate for display indications not to maneuver the vehicle to respective locations of the first obstacle and the second obstacle at the second side of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second level warning is provided to a heads-up display; and 
 the control circuitry is further configured to:
 generate for display the one or more suggested steering action indicators to turn the vehicle at the heads-up display at a portion of a windshield of the vehicle; and 
 cause a steering wheel of the vehicle to be moved in a suggested direction corresponding to the one or more suggested steering action indicators. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second level warning is provided to a graphical user interface; and 
 the control circuitry is configured to:
 generate for display the one or more suggested steering action indicators to turn the vehicle at the graphical user interface of a dashboard of the vehicle; and 
 cause a steering wheel of the vehicle to be moved in a suggested direction corresponding to the one or more suggested steering action indicators. 
 
 
     
     
       11. A method comprising:
 determining, based on sensor data of one or more sensors, that a first obstacle is present in front of a vehicle; 
 providing a first level warning associated with the first obstacle at a first time based on the sensor data; 
 determining, based on the sensor data, whether a second obstacle is present at a side of the vehicle; and 
 providing a second level warning associated with the first obstacle at a second time later than the first time based on the sensor data, wherein the second level warning comprises one or more suggested steering action indicators to avoid the first obstacle or the second obstacle. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second level warning is provided as an audio indicator, a tactile indicator, or a visual indicator, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining, based on the sensor data, that a driver of the vehicle is not likely to perform an action corresponding to the one or more suggested steering action indicators in time to avoid the first obstacle; and 
 in response to determining that the driver of the vehicle is not likely to perform the action in time to avoid the first obstacle, causing the vehicle to automatically perform the action. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the one or more sensors comprise a first sensor and a second sensor; 
 the sensor data is associated with an environment surrounding the vehicle; 
 the sensor data used to determine that the first obstacle is present in front of the vehicle is received from the first sensor; and 
 the sensor data used to determine whether the second obstacle is present at the side of the vehicle is received from the second sensor. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein providing the one or more suggested steering action indicators comprises:
 generating for output tactile feedback at a portion of the vehicle to indicate a suggested direction to turn the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the side of the vehicle is a left side of the vehicle, and the method further comprises:
 determining that the second obstacle is not present at the left side of the vehicle; 
 determining that the second obstacle is not present at the right side of the vehicle; and 
 providing the one or more suggested steering action indicators comprises:
 generating for display a first suggested direction to turn the vehicle to the left and a second suggested direction to turn the vehicle to the right. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the side of the vehicle is a first side of the vehicle, and the method further comprises:
 determining that the second obstacle is present at the first side of the vehicle; 
 determining that the second obstacle is not present at the second side of the vehicle; and 
 providing the one or more suggested steering action indicators comprises:
 generating for display a suggested direction to turn the vehicle, wherein the suggested direction corresponds to the second side of the vehicle. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein providing the one or more suggested steering action indicators comprises:
 generate for display indications not to maneuver the vehicle to respective locations of the first obstacle and the second obstacle at the second side of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the vehicle comprises a heads-up display and a graphical user interface, and providing the one or more suggested steering action indicators comprises:
 generating for display a suggested direction to turn the vehicle at the heads-up display at a portion of a windshield of the vehicle or at the graphical user interface of a dashboard of the vehicle; and 
 causing a steering wheel of the vehicle to be moved in the suggested direction corresponding to the one or more suggested steering action indicators. 
 
     
     
       20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having non-transitory computer-readable instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:
 determine, based on sensor data of one or more sensors, that a first obstacle is present in front of a vehicle; 
 provide a first level warning associated with the first obstacle at a first time based on the sensor data; 
 determine, based on the sensor data, whether a second obstacle is present at a side of the vehicle; and 
 provide a second level warning associated with the first obstacle at a second time later than the first time based on the sensor data, wherein the second level warning comprises one or more suggested steering action indicators to avoid the first obstacle or the second obstacle.